Device, system and method of communicating during an association beamforming training (a-bft) period

ABSTRACT

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of communicating during an Association-Beamforming-Training (A-BFT). For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to communicate a beacon frame during a beacon transmission interval (BTI), the beacon frame including a responder address field including a responder address representing one or more client devices, which are allowed to transmit during an A-BFT period following the BTI.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S.Provisional Patent application No. 61/656,375, entitled “Filteringresponses to beacon frames in directional wireless systems”, filed Jun.6, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

In some wireless communication networks, communication may be performedduring beacon intervals (BI), which may be scheduled, for example,according to a beacon and/or an announce frame.

The beacon may be transmitted during a beacon transmission interval(BTI), which may be followed by an Association Beamforming Training(A-BFT) period.

During the A-BFT client devices perform a beamforming procedure with acentral coordinator.

A client device that receives the beacon frame from the centralcoordinator during the BTI is allowed to access and transmit during thefollowing A-BFT in order to perform the beamforming with the centralcoordinator.

The beamforming may allow the central coordinator and the client deviceto establish a directional and high throughput wireless communicationlink between the central coordinator and the client device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to otherelements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numeralsmay be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogouselements. The figures are listed below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system, inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a beacon interval, in accordancewith some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a beacon frame including aresponder address field, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method ofcommunicating during an association beamforming training (A-BFT) period,in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a product, in accordance with somedemonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments.However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the artthat some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, unitsand/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscurethe discussion.

Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing”,“computing”, “calculating”, “determining”, “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information storage medium that may storeinstructions to perform operations and/or processes.

The terms “plurality” and “a plurality”, as used herein, include, forexample, “multiple” or “two or more”. For example, “a plurality ofitems” includes two or more items.

References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “demonstrativeembodiment”, “various embodiments” etc., indicate that the embodiment(s)so described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated useof the phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment, although it may.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinaladjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe a commonobject, merely indicate that different instances of like objects arebeing referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects sodescribed must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, inranking, or in any other manner.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various devices andsystems, for example, a Personal Computer (PC), a desktop computer, amobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tabletcomputer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, aPersonal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, anon-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehiculardevice, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumerdevice, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communicationstation, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point (AP),a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device,an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wirelessnetwork, a wireless area network, a Wireless Video Area Network (WVAN),a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN), a Personal AreaNetwork (PAN), a Wireless PAN (WPAN), and the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with devices and/or networksoperating in accordance with existing Wireless-Gigabit-Alliance (WGA)specifications (Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Inc WiGig MAC and PHYSpecification Version 1.1, April 2011, Final specification) and/orfuture versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networksoperating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.11 standards (IEEE802.11-2012, IEEE Standard for Information technology—Telecommunicationsand information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan areanetworks—Specific requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium AccessControl (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, Mar. 29, 2102;IEEE 802.11 task group ac (TGac) (“IEEE 802.11-09/0308r12—TGac ChannelModel Addendum Document”); IEEE 802.11 task group ad (TGad) (IEEEP802.11ad/D9.0 Draft Standard for InformationTechnology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange BetweenSystems—Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specifications—Amendment 3: Enhancements for Very High Throughput in the60 GHz Band)) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devicesand/or networks operating in accordance with existing WiFi Alliance(WFA) Peer-to-Peer (P2P) specifications (WiFi P2P technicalspecification, version 1.3, 2012) and/or future versions and/orderivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordancewith existing Wireless-WirelessHD™ specifications and/or future versionsand/or derivatives thereof, units and/or devices which are part of theabove networks, and the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one way and/or two-wayradio communication systems, cellular radio-telephone communicationsystems, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, aPersonal Communication Systems (PCS) device, a PDA device whichincorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portableGlobal Positioning System (GPS) device, a device which incorporates aGPS receiver or transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFIDelement or chip, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver ordevice, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or device, aMultiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or device, a devicehaving one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, DigitalVideo Broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi-standard radio devicesor systems, a wired or wireless handheld device, e.g., a Smartphone, aWireless Application Protocol (WAP) device, or the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more types ofwireless communication signals and/or systems, for example, RadioFrequency (RF), Infra Red (IR), Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM),Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), Time-DivisionMultiple Access (TDMA), Extended TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet RadioService (GPRS), extended GPRS, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA),Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrierCDMA, Multi-Carrier Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT),Bluetooth®, Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee™,Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), 2G,2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE advanced, Enhanced Datarates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Other embodiments may beused in various other devices, systems and/or networks.

The term “wireless device”, as used herein, includes, for example, adevice capable of wireless communication, a communication device capableof wireless communication, a communication station capable of wirelesscommunication, a portable or non-portable device capable of wirelesscommunication, or the like. In some demonstrative embodiments, awireless device may be or may include a peripheral that is integratedwith a computer, or a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In somedemonstrative embodiments, the term “wireless device” may optionallyinclude a wireless service.

The term “communicating” as used herein with respect to a wirelesscommunication signal includes transmitting the wireless communicationsignal and/or receiving the wireless communication signal. For example,a wireless communication unit, which is capable of communicating awireless communication signal, may include a wireless transmitter totransmit the wireless communication signal to at least one otherwireless communication unit, and/or a wireless communication receiver toreceive the wireless communication signal from at least one otherwireless communication unit.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with suitablelimited-range or short-range wireless communication networks, forexample, a wireless area network, a “piconet”, a WPAN, a WVAN and thelike. Other embodiments may be used in conjunction with any othersuitable wireless communication network.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with awireless communication network communicating over a frequency band of 60GHz. However, other embodiments may be implemented utilizing any othersuitable wireless communication frequency bands, for example, anExtremely High Frequency (EHF) band (the millimeter wave (mmwave)frequency band), e.g., a frequency band within the frequency band ofbetween 30 GHz and 300 GHZ, a WLAN frequency band, a WPAN frequencyband, a frequency band according to the WGA specification, and the like.

The term “antenna”, as used herein, may include any suitableconfiguration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antennaelements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In someembodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. Insome embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receiveelements. The antenna may include, for example, a phased array antenna,a single element antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or thelike.

The term “station” (STA), as used herein, may include any logical entitythat is a singly addressable instance of a medium access control (MAC)and a physical layer (PHY) interface to a wireless medium (WM).

The phrase “access point” (AP), as used herein, may include an entitythat contains one station (STA) and provides access to distributionservices, via the WM for associated STAs.

The term “beamforming”, as used herein, may relate to a spatialfiltering mechanism, which may be used at a transmitter and/or areceiver to improve the received signal power or signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) at an intended receiver.

The phrase “non-access-point (non-AP) station (STA)”, as used herein,may relate to a STA that is not contained within an AP.

The phrases “directional multi-gigabit (DMG)” and “directional band”(DBand), as used herein, may relate to a frequency band wherein theChannel starting frequency is above 40 GHz.

The phrases “DMG STA” and “mmWave STA (mSTA)” may relate to a STA havinga radio transmitter, which is operating on a channel that is within theDMG band.

The phrase “personal basic service set” (PBSS), as used herein, mayrelate to a basic service set (BSS) that forms a self-contained network.For example, the PBSS may operate in the DMG band, and may include onePBSS control point (PCP).

The phrase “PBSS control point” (PCP), as used herein, may include anentity that contains one station (STA) and coordinates access to the WMby STAs that are members of a PBSS.

The phrase “non-PCP station (STA)”, as used herein, may relate to a STAthat is not also a PCP.

The phrase “non-PCP/non-AP station (STA)”, as used herein, may relate toa STA that is not a PCP and that is not an AP.

The phrase “PCP/AP”, as used herein, may relate to a STA that is a PCPor an AP.

The phrase “Peer-to-peer” (P2P) network, as used herein, may relate to anetwork in which a STA in the network can operate as a client or as aserver for another STA in the network. The P2P network may allow sharedaccess to resources, e.g., without a need for a central server.

The phrase “P2P device”, as used herein, may relate to a WFA P2P devicethat may be capable of acting as both a P2P Group Owner and a P2PClient.

The phrase “P2P Client”, as used herein, may relate to a P2P device thatmay be connected to a P2P Group Owner.

The phrase “P2P Group owner”, as used herein, may relate to an “AP-like”entity, when referring to non-DMG networks, or to a PCP, when referringto DMG networks that may provide and use connectivity between clients.

The phrase “P2P Group”, as used herein, may relate to a set of devicesincluding one P2P Group Owner and zero or more P2P Clients.

The phrase “Beacon interval”, as used herein, may relate to a number oftime units (TUs) between target beacon transmission times (TBTTs).

The phrase “beacon transmission interval” (BTI), as used herein, mayrelate to a time interval between the start of a first beacontransmission by a STA in a beacon interval to an end of a last beacontransmission by the STA in the same beacon interval.

The phrase “association beamforming training” (A-BFT), as used herein,may relate to a time allocated for a STA, following the BTI, to respondto beacons transmitted during the BTI, e.g., using a sector sweep.

The phrase “announcement transmission interval” (ATI), as used herein,may relate to a request-response based management access period betweenPCP/AP and non-PCP/non-AP STAs. The presence of the ATI may be optionaland signaled in DMG Beacon frames.

The phrase “data transfer interval” (DTI), as used herein, may relate toan access period during which frame exchanges are performed betweenSTAs. For example, there may be a single DTI per beacon interval.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a blockdiagram of a system 100, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments system 100 mayinclude a wireless communication network including one or more wirelesscommunication devices, e.g., wireless communication devices 102, 104,106 and/or 108, capable of communicating content, data, informationand/or signals over a wireless communication medium 103, for example, aradio channel, an IR channel, a RF channel, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi)channel, and the like. One or more elements of system 100 may optionallybe capable of communicating over any suitable wired communication links.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,104 106 and/or 108 may include, for example, a PC, a desktop computer, amobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tabletcomputer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, aPDA device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-boarddevice, a hybrid device (e.g., combining cellular phone functionalitieswith PDA device functionalities), a consumer device, a vehicular device,a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a non-mobile ornon-portable device, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a PCS device,a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device, amobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively smallcomputing device, a non-desktop computer, a “Carry Small Live Large”(CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC),a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an “Origami” device or computing device,a device that supports Dynamically Composable Computing (DCC), acontext-aware device, a video device, an audio device, an A/V device, aSet-Top-Box (STB), a Blu-ray disc (BD) player, a BD recorder, a DigitalVideo Disc (DVD) player, a High Definition (HD) DVD player, a DVDrecorder, a HD DVD recorder, a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), abroadcast HD receiver, a video source, an audio source, a video sink, anaudio sink, a stereo tuner, a broadcast radio receiver, a flat paneldisplay, a Personal Media Player (PMP), a digital video camera (DVC), adigital audio player, a speaker, an audio receiver, an audio amplifier,a gaming device, a data source, a data sink, a Digital Still camera(DSC), a media player, a Smartphone, a television, a music player, orthe like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,104, 106 and/or 108 may include wireless communication units, to performwireless communication between wireless communication devices 102, 104,106 and/or 108 and with one or more other wireless communicationdevices. For example, device 102 may include a wireless communicationunit 110 and device 104 may include a wireless communication unit 120,e.g., as described below.

Wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may alsoinclude, for example, one or more of a processor 191, an input unit 192,an output unit 193, a memory unit 194, and a storage unit 195. Wirelesscommunication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may optionally includeother suitable hardware components and/or software components. In somedemonstrative embodiments, some or all of the components of one or moreof wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may beenclosed in a common housing or packaging, and may be interconnected oroperably associated using one or more wired or wireless links. In otherembodiments, components of one or more of wireless communication devices102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may be distributed among multiple or separatedevices.

Processor 191 includes, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), aDigital Signal Processor (DSP), one or more processor cores, asingle-core processor, a dual-core processor, a multiple-core processor,a microprocessor, a host processor, a controller, a plurality ofprocessors or controllers, a chip, a microchip, one or more circuits,circuitry, a logic unit, an Integrated Circuit (IC), anApplication-Specific IC (ASIC), or any other suitable multi-purpose orspecific processor or controller. Processor 191 executes instructions,for example, of an Operating System (OS) of wireless communicationdevices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 and/or of one or more suitableapplications.

Input unit 192 includes, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, atouch-screen, a touch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a microphone, orother suitable pointing device or input device. Output unit 193includes, for example, a monitor, a screen, a touch-screen, a flat paneldisplay, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display unit, a Liquid Crystal Display(LCD) display unit, a plasma display unit, one or more audio speakers orearphones, or other suitable output devices.

Memory unit 194 includes, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), aRead Only Memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM(SD-RAM), a flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, acache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memoryunit, or other suitable memory units. Storage unit 195 includes, forexample, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD)drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, or other suitable removable ornon-removable storage units. Memory unit 194 and/or storage unit 195,for example, may store data processed by wireless communication devices102, 104, 106 and/or 108.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication units 110 and120 may include, or may be associated with, one or more antennas 107 and109, respectively. Antennas 107 and 109 may include any type of antennassuitable for transmitting and/or receiving wireless communicationsignals, blocks, frames, transmission streams, packets, messages and/ordata. For example, antennas 107 and 109 may include any suitableconfiguration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antennaelements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. Antennas 107 and109 may include, for example, antennas suitable for directionalcommunication, e.g., using beamforming techniques. For example, antennas107 and 109 may include a phased array antenna, a single elementantenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or the like. In someembodiments, antennas 107 and 109 may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. Insome embodiments, antennas 107 and 109 may implement transmit andreceive functionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receiveelements.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication units 110and/or 120 include, for example, one or more radios 114, e.g., includingone or more wireless transmitters, receivers and/or transceivers able tosend and/or receive wireless communication signals, RF signals, frames,blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items, and/ordata. For example, wireless communication units 110 and/or 120 mayinclude or may be implemented as part of a wireless Network InterfaceCard (NIC), and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,104, 106 and/or 108 may perform the functionality of DMG STAs, e.g.,wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may beconfigured to communicate over the DMG band.

For example, system 100 may include a PCP/AP STA and one or morenon-PCP/non-AP STAs. For example, device 102 may perform thefunctionality of a PCP/AP STA and/or devices 104, 106 and/or 108 mayperform the functionality of a non-PCP/AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,104 106 and/or 108 may perform the functionality of WFA P2P devices. Forexample, device 102 may perform the functionality of a P2P group owner,and devices 104, 106 and/or 108 may perform the functionality of a P2Pclient device.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 maycommunicate during one or more beacon intervals (BI).

Reference in now made to FIG. 2, which schematically illustrates abeacon interval (BI) 200, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments. For example, devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 (FIG. 1) maycommunicate during BI 200.

As shown in FIG. 2, BI 200 may include a beacon transmission interval(BTI) 201 followed by an Association-Beamforming-Training (A-BFT) 202.BI 200 may also include one or more additional periods, for example, anannouncement transmission interval (ATI) 203, and/or a data transferinterval (DTI) 204.

One or more client devices, e.g., devices 104, 106 and/or 108 (FIG. 1),may perform a beamforming procedure with a PCP/AP STA device, e.g.,device 102 (FIG. 1), during A-BFT 202, in order to establish adirectional and/or high throughput wireless communication link to thePCP/AP STA device.

Congestion over wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) during A-BFT202 may be likely to increase, for example, if a relatively high numberof client devices attempt to perform beamforming with device 102(FIG. 1) during A-BFT 202. For example, wireless communication medium103 (FIG. 1) may be highly congested, e.g., if devices 104, 106, 108(FIG. 1) and/or other neighboring devices attempt to perform beamformingwith device 102 (FIG. 1) during A-BFT 202,.

In some demonstrative embodiments, allowing all client devices, whichreceive a beacon frame from device 102 (FIG. 1) during BTI 201 tocommunicate during A-BFT 202, may result in a relatively high level ofcongestion over wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1). For example,allowing devices 104, 106, 108 (FIG. 1) and/or other neighboringdevices, which receive the beacon, to transmit during A-BFT 202, mayincrease congestion over wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1). Thehigh congestion over wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) mayincrease an accumulated latency of communication by the client devicesand/or may increase power consumption of the client devices.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, wirelesscommunication unit 110 may allow only one or more selected clientdevices to transmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2). In one example, wirelesscommunication unit 110 may allow only device 104 to transmit duringA-BFT 202 (FIG. 2), while devices 106 and 108 may not be allowed totransmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2). In another example, wirelesscommunication unit 110 may allow only devices 104 and 106 to transmitduring A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2), while device 108 may not be allowed totransmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2), e.g., as described in detail below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 110 maycommunicate a beacon frame during BTI 201 (FIG. 2) including a responderaddress field including a responder address representing one or moreclient devices, which are allowed to transmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2)following BTI 201 (FIG. 2), e.g., as described in detail below.

Allowing only one or more, e.g., not all, of the client devices totransmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2), may reduce congestion over wirelesscommunication medium 103. As a result, accumulated latency of clientdevices and/or power consumption of the client devices may be reduced.For example, devices 104, 106 and/or 108 may have a relatively reducedaccumulated latency and/or power consumption.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the responder address field mayrepresent an address of an individual client device. For example, theresponder address field may include an address of device 104, device 106or device 108.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the responder address field mayrepresent a group address of a group of client devices. For example, theresponder address field may represent a group address of a groupincluding, for example, one or more of devices 104, 106 and 108.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which schematically illustrates abeacon frame 300, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

In some demonstrative embodiments, beacon frame 300 may be transmittedby a central device to one or more client devices during a BTI. Forexample, device 102 (FIG. 1) may transmit beacon frame 300 to devices104, 106 and 108 (FIG. 1) during BTI 201 (FIG. 2).

In some demonstrative embodiments, beacon frame 300 may include a framecontrol field 301, a BI duration field 302, a BSS identifier (BSSID)field 304, a portion 306 (“body”) and a frame check sequence (FCS) field307.

In some demonstrative embodiments, beacon frame 300 may include an A-BFTresponder address field 370, e.g., as part of body portion 306,including a responder address representing one or more client devices,which are allowed to transmit during an A-BFT period following a BTI.

In some demonstrative embodiments, A-BFT responder address field 370 mayrepresent an address of an individual client device. For example,responder address field 370 may represent an individual address of oneof devices 104, 106 and 108 (FIG. 1).

In some demonstrative embodiments, A-BFT responder address field 370 mayinclude a Media Access Control (MAC) address of an individual clientdevice. For example, A-BFT responder field 370 may include a MAC addressof device 104, 106 or 108 (FIG. 1).

In some demonstrative embodiments, A-BFT responder address field 370 mayrepresent a group address of a group of client devices. In one example,A-BFT responder address field 370 may represent a group address of agroup of one or more of devices 104, 106 and 108 (FIG. 1). In anotherexample, responder address field 370 may represent a group address ofany other group including one or more of devices 104, 106 and 108 (FIG.1).

As shown in FIG. 3, A-BFT responder field 370 may have a predefinedsize, e.g., of 48 bits, for example, to include a size of a MAC addressof a client device, e.g., device 104, or a group address of a group ofclient devices.

In some demonstrative embodiments, A-BFT responder address field 370 maybe part of an optional clustering control field 362 including A-BFTresponder address field 370 and a reserved field 371.

In some demonstrative embodiments, body 306 may include a plurality ofelements. For example, body 306 may include a beacon interval controlfield 361 and clustering control field 362.

In some demonstrative embodiments, beacon interval control field 361 mayinclude a plurality of elements to be applied during the BI.

For example, beacon interval control field 361 may include, for example,a clustering control present (CC present) field 366 to indicate whetheror not optional clustering control field 362 is present in beacon frame300. For example, CC present field 366 may be set to a first predefinedvalue, e.g., one, to indicate that clustering control field 362 ispresent in beacon frame 300; or to a second predefined value, e.g.,zero, to indicate that clustering control field 362 is not present inbeacon frame 300.

In some demonstrative embodiments, beacon interval control field 361 mayinclude, for example, a discovery mode field 367 to indicate whether ornot the PCP/AP STA transmitting beacon frame 300 to the client devicesbefore establishing a wireless communication link over wirelesscommunication medium 103 (FIG. 1). For example, discovery mode field 367may be set to a first predefined value, e.g., one, to indicate thatdevice 102 (FIG. 1) transmits beacon frame 300 during a BTI, e.g., BTI201 (FIG. 2), before establishing a wireless communication link withdevices 104, 106 and/or 108 (FIG. 1); or to a second predefined value,e.g., zero, to indicate that beacon frame 300 is not transmitted beforeestablishing of the wireless communication link.

In some demonstrative embodiments, clustering control field 362 mayinclude different elements according to the IEEE 802.11ad, WGA, and/orWFA P2P specifications, e.g., if discovery mode field 367 is set to zeroand CC present field 366 is set to one.

In one example, a device, e.g., device 102 (FIG. 1) may allow one ormore selected client devices to communicate during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) bycommunicating beacon frame 300 during BTI 201 (FIG. 2) having optionalclustering control field 361 including responder address field 370,which includes a responder address representing the one or more selectedclient devices, and beacon interval control field 361 includingdiscovery mode field 367 set to one and CC present field 366 set to one.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, devices104, 106 and/or 108 may receive the beacon frame transmitted from device102 during BTI 201 (FIG. 2). For example, wireless communication unit120 may receive beacon frame 300 (FIG. 3).

In some demonstrative embodiments, a client device may transmit duringA-BFT period 202 (FIG. 2) if the responder address field represents anaddress of the client device. For example, device 104 may transmitduring A-BFT period 202 (FIG. 2) if responder address field 370 (FIG. 3)represents an address of device 104. Device 106 may not transmit duringA-BFT period 202 (FIG. 2) if responder address field 370 (FIG. 3) doesnot represent an address of device 106.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the client device may transmit duringA-BFT period 202 (FIG. 2) only if the responder address field is equalto a MAC address of the client device or the responder address fieldrepresents a group address of a group including the client device.

In one example, device 104 may transmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) ifresponder address field 370 (FIG. 3) includes a MAC address, which isequal to the MAC address of device 104, or if responder address field370 (FIG. 3) includes a group address of a group including device 104,e.g., a group address of a group including, for example, devices 104,106 and/or 108.

In another example, device 108 may not transmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG.2) period, if, for example, responder address field 370 (FIG. 3)includes a MAC address, which is not equal to the MAC address of device108, e.g., a MAC address of device 104, or if responder address field370 (FIG. 3) includes a group address of a group, which does not includedevice 108, e.g., a group address of a group including, for example,devices 104 and 106.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may receive one or moretransmissions only from one or more client devices of the one or moreclient devices represented by the responder address field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may receive transmissionsonly from an individual client device if the responder address fieldrepresents the individual client address.

For example, wireless communication unit 110 may transmit during BTI 201(FIG. 2) beacon frame 300 (FIG. 3) including A-BFT responder addressfield 370 representing an individual client device. Accordingly,wireless communication unit 110 may receive transmission during A-BFT202 (FIG. 2) only from the individual client device. For example,wireless communication unit 110 may transmit beacon frame 300 includingA-BFT responder address field 370 including a MAC address of device 104.Accordingly, wireless communication unit 110 may receive transmissionsduring A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) only from device 104. Wireless communicationunit 110 may not receive transmissions from devices 106, 108 and/orother devices during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2).

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may receive transmissionsonly from a group of client devices, if the responder address fieldrepresents a group address of the group of client devices.

For example, wireless communication unit 110 may transmit during BTI 201(FIG. 2) beacon frame 300 (FIG. 3) including A-BFT responder addressfield 370 representing a group address of a group one or more devices.Accordingly, wireless communication unit 110 may receive transmissionsduring A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) only from the group of one or more devices.

In one example, wireless communication unit 110 may receivetransmissions during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) only from one or more devices ofa group of devices 104, 106 and 108, e.g., if A-BFT responder addressfield 370 (FIG. 3) includes a group address of the group of devices 104,106 and 108. In another example, wireless communication unit 110 mayreceive transmissions during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) only from one or moredevices of a group of devices 104 and 108, e.g., if A-BFT responderaddress field 370 (FIG. 3) includes a group address of the group ofdevices 104 and 108. In yet another example, wireless communication unit110 may not receive transmissions during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) from device108, e.g., if A-BFT responder address field 370 (FIG. 3) includes agroup address of a group including only devices 104 and 106.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may receive the one ormore transmissions, e.g., if BTI 201 (FIG. 2) and A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) arewithin a common DMG beacon interval. For example, device 102 may receivethe one or more transmissions during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2), e.g. only ifA-BFT 202 follows BTI 201 (FIG. 2) within BI 200 (FIG. 2), e.g., notduring another A-BFT in a next BI.

Reference is made to FIG. 4, which schematically illustrates a method ofcommunicating during an A-BFT, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations of themethod of FIG. 4 may be performed by a wireless communication systeme.g., system 100 (FIG. 1); a wireless communication device, e.g.,devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 (FIG. 1); and/or a wirelesscommunication unit, e.g., wireless communication units 110 and/or 120(FIG. 1).

As indicated at block 402, the method may include communicating awireless communication beacon frame during a beacon transmissioninterval (BTI), the beacon frame including a responder address fieldincluding a responder address representing one or more client devices,which are allowed to transmit during an A-BFT period following the BTI.For example, device 102 (FIG. 1) may communicate beacon frame 300 (FIG.3) during BTI 201 (FIG. 2) including responder address field 370 (FIG.3) including a responder address representing one or more clientdevices, which are allowed to transmit during A-BFT period 202 (FIG. 2)following BTI 201 (FIG. 2), e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 404, communicating the beacon frame may includetransmitting the beacon frame. For example, device 102 (FIG. 1) maytransmit beacon frame 300 (FIG. 3), e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 406, communicating the beacon frame may includereceiving the beacon frame by a client device. For example, device 104(FIG. 1) may receive beacon frame 300 (FIG. 3), e.g., as describedabove.

As indicated at block 408, the method may include transmitting by theclient device during the A-BFT period only if the responder addressrepresents an address of the client device. For example, device 104(FIG. 1) may transmit during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) period only if responderaddress field 370 (FIG. 3) represents an address of device 104 (FIG. 1),e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 410, the method may include receiving during theA-BFT one or more transmissions only from one or more of the one or moreclient devices represented by the responder address. For example, device102 (FIG. 1) may receive during A-BFT 202 (FIG. 2) one or moretransmissions only from one or more of the one or more client devicesrepresented in responder address field 370 (FIG. 3), e.g., as describedabove.

Reference is made to FIG. 5, which schematically illustrates a productof manufacture 500, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.Product 500 may include a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium502 to store logic 504, which may be used, for example, to perform atleast part of the functionality of device 102 (FIG. 1), device 104 (FIG.1), device 106 (FIG. 1), device 108 (FIG. 1), wireless communicationunit 110 (FIG. 1), wireless communication unit 120 (FIG. 1) and/or toperform one or more operations of the method of FIG. 4. The phrase“non-transitory machine-readable medium” is directed to include allcomputer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitorypropagating signal.

In some demonstrative embodiments, product 500 and/or machine-readablestorage medium 502 may include one or more types of computer-readablestorage media capable of storing data, including volatile memory,non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable ornon-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and the like. Forexample, machine-readable storage medium 502 may include, RAM, DRAM,Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM,programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electricallyerasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), CompactDisk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory(e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM),polymer memory, phase-change memory, ferroelectric memory,silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a floppydisk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a card, a magneticcard, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the like. Thecomputer-readable storage media may include any suitable media involvedwith downloading or transferring a computer program from a remotecomputer to a requesting computer carried by data signals embodied in acarrier wave or other propagation medium through a communication link,e.g., a modem, radio or network connection.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 504 may include instructions,data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine, may cause themachine to perform a method, process and/or operations as describedherein. The machine may include, for example, any suitable processingplatform, computing platform, computing device, processing device,computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like,and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware,software, firmware, and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 504 may include, or may beimplemented as, software, a software module, an application, a program,a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set, computing code, words,values, symbols, and the like. The instructions may include any suitabletype of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code,executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Theinstructions may be implemented according to a predefined computerlanguage, manner or syntax, for instructing a processor to perform acertain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitablehigh-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/orinterpreted programming language, such as C, C++, Java, BASIC, Matlab,Pascal, Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code, and the like.

Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein withreference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may beutilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations,components and/or features described herein with reference to one ormore other embodiments, or vice versa.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, tobe understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a wireless communicationunit to communicate a beacon frame during a beacon transmission interval(BTI), the beacon frame including a responder address field including aresponder address representing one or more client devices, which areallowed to transmit during an Association-Beamforming-Training (A-BFT)period following said BTI.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidwireless communication unit is to perform the functionality of a clientdevice.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said client device is totransmit during said A-BFT period only if said responder addressrepresents an address of said client device.
 4. The apparatus of claim2, wherein said client device is to transmit during said A-BFT periodonly if said responder address is equal to a Media-Access-Control (MAC)address of said client device, or if said responder address includes agroup address of a group including said client device.
 5. The apparatusof claim 2, wherein said client device comprises a directionalmulti-gigabit (DMG) station (STA).
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinsaid client device comprises a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Peer-to-Peer(P2P) client device.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beaconcomprises a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) beacon, and wherein said BTIand A-BFT are within a common DMG beacon interval.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said responder address field includes an addressselected from the group consisting of an address of an individual clientdevice and a group address of a group of client devices.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication unit is totransmit said beacon frame.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein,during the A-BFT period, said wireless communication unit is to receiveone or more transmissions only from one or more of said one or moreclient devices.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said wirelesscommunication unit is to perform the functionality of a personal basicservice set control point (PCP) or access point (AP) station.
 12. Asystem comprising: at least one wireless communication device including:one or more antennas; and a wireless communication unit to communicate abeacon frame during a beacon transmission interval (BTI), the beaconframe including a responder address field including a responder addressrepresenting one or more client devices, which are allowed to transmitduring an Association-Beamforming-Training (A-BFT) period following saidBTI.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein said wireless communicationunit is to perform the functionality of a client device.
 14. The systemof claim 13, wherein said client device is to transmit during said A-BFTperiod only if said responder address represents an address of saidclient device.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said client device isto transmit during said A-BFT period only if said responder address isequal to a Media-Access-Control (MAC) address of said client device orif said responder address includes a group address of a group includingsaid client device.
 16. The system of claim 13, wherein said clientdevice comprises a device selected from the group consisting of adirectional multi-gigabit (DMG) station (STA), and a Wireless-Fidelity(Wi-Fi) Peer-to-Peer (P2P) client device.
 17. The system of claim 12,wherein said responder address field includes an address selected fromthe group consisting of an address of an individual client device and agroup address of a group of client devices.
 18. The system of claim 12,wherein said wireless communication unit is to transmit said beaconframe.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein, during the A-BFT period,said wireless communication unit is to receive one or more transmissionsonly from one or more of said one or more client devices.
 20. The systemof claim 18, wherein said wireless communication unit is to perform thefunctionality of a personal basic service set control point (PCP) oraccess point (AP) station.
 21. A method comprising: communicating awireless communication beacon frame during a beacon transmissioninterval (BTI), the beacon frame including a responder address fieldincluding a responder address representing one or more client devices,which are allowed to transmit during an Association-Beamforming-Training(A-BFT) period following said BTI.
 22. The method of claim 21, whereincommunicating said beacon frame comprises receiving said beacon frame bya client device.
 23. The method of claim 22 comprising transmitting bythe client device during said A-BFT period only if said responderaddress represents an address of said client device.
 24. The method ofclaim 21, wherein communicating said beacon frame during said BTIcomprises communicating a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) beacon duringa beacon interval (BI) including said BTI and said A-BFT.
 25. The methodof claim 21, wherein said responder address field includes an addressselected from the group consisting of an address of an individual clientdevice and a group address of a group of client devices.
 26. The methodof claim 21, wherein communicating said beacon frame comprisestransmitting said beacon frame, the method including receiving duringthe A-BFT one or more transmissions only from one or more of said one ormore client devices.
 27. A product including a non-transitory storagemedium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by amachine, result in: communicating a wireless communication a beaconframe during a beacon transmission interval (BTI), the beacon frameincluding a responder address field including a responder addressrepresenting one or more client devices, which are allowed to transmitduring an Association-Beamforming-Training (A-BFT) period following saidBTI.
 28. The product of claim 27, wherein the instructions result inreceiving said beacon frame, and transmitting during said A-BFT periodonly if said responder address represents an address of a client devicereceiving said beacon frame.
 29. The product of claim 27, wherein saidresponder address field includes an address selected from the groupconsisting of an address of an individual client device and a groupaddress of a group of client devices.
 30. The product of claim 27,wherein the instructions result in transmitting said beacon frame, andreceiving during the A-BFT one or more transmissions only from one ormore of said one or more client devices.